The week after the Easter break, Jane's parents, Jasmine and my Mum came up to Townsville for a visit. As none of them were able to be here for his actual first birthday, we threw him another party and invited several people for afternoon tea. Phil and Kate tried to warn everybody off the pork, apple and caraway sausage rolls and filo tarts with lime curd and raspberry and rhubarb compote, but to no avail. The good thing was that there was enough to go around!
We originally had grand plans to do a bit of travelling, but in the end spent most of our time in Townsville. We did go to the Palmetum, which is a reasonably funky botanical garden, and generally rested pretty hard. Sometimes it is something you just need to do!
As always, the visit wasn't long enough, and we had to send everybody back south to cooler climes. We enjoyed their company, and it would be nice to be closer so we can spend more time together. The only thing that didn't go to plan at all was the cheese. As I write it still hasn't quite matured. I had to send Peter and Phyl back to Canberra with a lump to mature down there. But that is the thing with naturally made produce - it tends to control the manufacturing process, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
So, photo time for the week:
MacK's second, first birthday cake! The cake is the same chocolate mud recipe we used for our wedding, and the letters are royal icing on butter cake muffins. Lovely!
MacK thought so too!
This trip, MacK got to read to Poppy!
Nanny Mary got shown the correct technique for turning a paper tube into a didgeridoo!
And Nanny Phyl kindly volunteered to share her footbath!
Our boy is way too cool for school! One of our friends gave him a very funky pair of Dunlop volleys for his birthday, but there was no way they were going to fit. We took them back, thinking we might simply exchange them. But no... after trying every kids shoe in the major department stores, we went to a little independent that sells Crocs. As you can see, he is in a pair of shoes. Designed for 2 - 3 year old kids! Jane thinks that he has Hobbits feet like me, but surely not... Can he?
He loves exploring, and playing in the dirt... Such a boy!
This may be the last blog for a month or so. I am heading south to Albury, where they have told us to invest in a pair of flannelette pyjamas, as the heating isn't working. 2 degrees tonight down there... It is going to hurt!
I am going down on course, but am hoping to be able to make it out to the farm on one of the weekends. If I do get up there, I am also going to meet with our prospective architect to talk over a couple of plan ideas for the house. It is starting to get very exciting now!
Until next time...
